Hard To Love Again
by ILOVETODREAM
Summary: Tifa, and Cloud have broken up. Tifa doesn't want to fall in love again, but then she meets Reno, and she falls for him. But when Cloud comes back, and Reno's mission is revealed who will she chose? Maybe Cloud, or Reno, or maybe neither. ReTi!


**Ok here's my first ReTi facfic! I hope you guys like it! Please comment! Oh ya this story takes place a year and a half after the game, and a half a year before the movie. **

**Disclaimer: i do not own the characters, or the setting. **

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Only one more hour till I can close up, I thought when I glanced up at the clock hanging on the clean wooden walls. There were only a few old lone men sitting around the few tables left. Some were talking nonsense to each other, and others just sat there quietly drinking, but obviously drunk.

I turned around, and washed the tall glass that someone handed me. I yawned, and closed my burning eyes. Only a half an hour left, and I can finally go to sleep. My few seconds of peace was interrupted by a crash, and loud noises. I turned around to see one of my tables overturned, and the remains of a dozen glasses. On the ground were two men fighting. Not another fight, I thought as I jumped over the counter.

"You two get out now! You will not fight in my bar!" I yelled, knowing that it was useless. They hardly ever listened to me.

"Shut up you bitch!" one of them growled.

I sighed, knowing that I had to beat up another pair of grown men. I picked them both up to their feet's by their backs. Then while there were still dazed I punched them in the face. I caught one of them in the eye, and the other in the mouth. I jumped up, and kicked them both in the stomach while I was in mid air. They flung backwards, and hit the wall.

"What was that for bitch," they both grumbled angrily.

Jumping over a table I walked over to where they were lying. "Get out now," I whispered to them fiercely.

Of course they didn't listen to me, because they each looked at each other, and charged at me. I sighed, and grabbed them by the back of their heads, and pulled back painfully. I then dragged them over to the door, and threw them out by kicking the in their backs.

"Don't fight in my bar," I screamed brutally at them, as they picked themselves up, and scampered away while cursing under their breaths.

"Impressive," said someone. I turned around to see a certain red head that was wearing a blue dress shirt, and pants that weren't tucked in our buttoned that was smirking at me, Reno. Why is he here? Why am I so unlucky? All the hate that I felt for him came spilling out.

"You," I whispered as I ran at him. My hand was bunched up in a fist, and was inches from his annoying smirking face when his hand shot up stopping me; I froze motionless in my tracks. The hate that was welling up in me early spilled out, and what was left was defiantly not hate.

"It's me alright. Now, take a deep breath. Is this really the way to greet your old friend?" he asked teasingly. Even though I was staring at the ground I could still feel his irritating smirk on me.

I stood up slowly, and brought my hand back to my side. I quickly turned around, and walked back into the bar. There wasn't anyone left. They were probably scared. I slowly scanned at the damage that was left. There were only a few shards of glass here, and there, and the table was just overturned, nothing too costly. I righted the table, and began sweeping up the glass. I was too busy to hear the door, and the jingle of the bells as someone stepped in.

I threw the glass away, and made a mental note to buy more. I seemed to go through cups faster than I went through beer, and wine. I sat down on my tall chair, and glanced up at the clock. Ok, I only have fifteen more minuets. Please tell me there won't be any more costumers. I turned around in my seat to come face-to-face, eye-to-eye with Reno. His bright green mako filled eyes stared into mine burring themselves into my heart. I could feel my heart beat quicken, and my face warming up. He snickered then smirked at me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked harshly while standing up, and trying to redeem myself.

"I want a drink. Why else would I be here?" he asked foolishly. He's so cute… oh my gosh! What are you think Tifa? He's the enemy! Well he was the enemy…

"Well, why did you have to come here then? Why couldn't you have gone to the bar down the street?" I don't know why, but just looking at Reno made me mad, and angry. Oh yah, he killed so many of my friends! That's right. But somewhere deep down in my soul I know that's not the whole reason.

"Because I wanted to visit an old friend of mine… And I just happened to have gotten banned from there," he replied joyfully. I gave him a questioning look so he added, "Don't ask."

"Ok… What do you want? Make it fast, I want to get home before two in the morning!" I snapped at him.

"Ok, ok, calm down Tiff! You're a lot touchier than I remember!" he teased.

"Oh, just order something already!" Ok, I'm usually not this mean! What's wrong with me?

"Ok… hm… I'll have the… no I'll have… no I had the one yesterday… I'll have…"

"Please hurry up. You have ten minuets left," I said trying to make my voice calmer. I'm probably just tired, this doesn't mean I like… nope I defiantly don't!

"Ok, I'll have that brandy," he said nodding his chin toward the left hand side of the huge pile of bottles I had behind me.

"This one?" I asked touching the light green bottle of my most popular brandy that was on the left hand side.

"No, that one." This time he pointed lower.

"Ok… Is it this one?" I asked randomly picking a bottle of brandy.

"No, it's a bit lower."

"Um… this one?"

"No, a bit lower." It went on like that until I only had one bottle left that I didn't guess yet, and it was the one that was on the top.

"Is it this one?" I asked a bit out of breath.

"I guess if you want that one to be it. I seriously had no idea which one I wanted," he said teasingly. He had his signature smirk on, and his eyes had that little playful twinkle in them.

"Ok, well you're getting Love's Brandy," I said reading off the label. That's a strange brand name. The bottle was full, and the seal wasn't broken. Looks like no one has drank this yet, I thought. I quickly poured him a glass of it, and glanced at the clock two thirty! I'm supposed to be closed! Oh well, I'll just stay late tonight. I'm starting to like his company, anyways. "Here you go!" I said cheerfully. Before I even looked at him I smelled smoke. I looked up, and glared at him. "Please don't smoke in my bar," I said grabbing the cigarette from his mouth, and dropping it in his drink with a sizzle. I then took his glass, and poured it into my sink. I grabbed another glass, and poured him some more brandy. "This'll be on me," I told him, smiling. Some reason I felt really nice with him all of a sudden. He was the first company I had that wasn't twenty years older than me, or a complete pervert.

"Thanks. Hey aren't you going to have some?" he asked.

"Nah, I don't drink," I replied.

"Come on! Have a sip," he said bringing his glass in front of my mouth.

"Um… I don't think so."

"Oh, come on! Just a sip."

"No, really. Me, and alcohol is not pretty."

"You own a bar, and can't drink…"

"Well yah, but I guess a sip won't be that bad." I took a sip of it, and found it rather pleasant. "It's not bad."

"Oh yah, nice punch earlier. If I didn't have hands of steel I would be crying right now, and I'd be suing you for all your worth."

"Oh yah, sorry about that. I didn't really mean to. Well I did mean to, but…" I said fumbling with my words.

"I get what you mean… Say, how's Cloud doing? Is he still around here?" Reno asked. The words ran through my heart like arrows. Cloud, Vincent, and Biggs were off helping people, and rebuilding the slums. Before he left he told me that he didn't like me in the way I liked him, and that I should forget him, because he never would love me.

"He's ok…" I chocked on my words as I felt stinging tears grant my eyes.

"Oh, you know I feel weird being the only one drinking. Why don't you get a glass?" he asked hastily with a smirk. He's so cute… I think I… wait! Tifa what are you thinking? Get your mind straight!

"You know what, I think I will." Before I knew it we drained the whole bottle. My ears were buzzing, and everything was moving and shaking. But I felt nice. I forgot how much I liked Cloud, and how much he didn't like me.

"You know, I really should get home…" I said after awhile of silence. I had this strange erg to laugh for no reason. I started to walk, but my legs felt like jelly. "Wow, I can't even walk! I knew drinking was a bad idea," I mumbled as I gripped the side of the counter.

"You can't even hold two glasses of brandy. What kind of bar owner are you?" he asked teasingly.

"A very bad one that can't drink," I replied holding my head. I felt like little bombs were exploding in my head.

"Why don't I walk you home?" Reno offered with a look of concern on his face.

"I wouldn't mine that," I said trying to walk, but fell to my knees.

"Maybe I should carry you home to," he said with a laugh.

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